A group of scientists from India and the United Kingdom have discovered a new species of toads, the third of a genus found only in a very narrow area in northeast India.
The discovery of the new species – Bufoides bhupathyi – found in the Dampa tiger reserve of Mizoram was published in the latest issue of Biodiversitas, a journal published in Indonesia. The two earlier known species from the genus ‘bufoides’ – Bufoides meghalayanus and Bufoides kempi – were found in Meghalaya.
“Historically, Bufoides meghalayanus was reported from Dampa tiger reserve and Ngengpui wildlife sancturary (both in Mizoram). Both locations were more than 200km away from Mawblang, the type locality of the species (in Meghalaya),” the journal said.
Though it suggested that the Bufoides species found in Mizoram could be a separate one, it was never tested. However, during a red list workshop by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it was found that Bufoides meghalayanus was restricted to just three locations, all within 1.5km of each other in Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya. This led to the classification of the species as ‘critically endangered’.
“To resolve the taxonomic confusion (on whether the species found in Dampa was a separate one), we conducted field surveys in the tiger reserve, and encountered a population of Bufoides, superficially resembling Bufoides meghalayanus, but later found to be a new species after studies,” said RS Naveen, one of the seven scientists involved in the discovery.
{{/usCountry}}“To resolve the taxonomic confusion (on whether the species found in Dampa was a separate one), we conducted field surveys in the tiger reserve, and encountered a population of Bufoides, superficially resembling Bufoides meghalayanus, but later found to be a new species after studies,” said RS Naveen, one of the seven scientists involved in the discovery.
{{/usCountry}}The new species from Mizoram is different from the co-generic (similar) species in interdigital webbing, colouration, skin tuberculation, and the presence of ovoid, tuberculated and depressed parotid glands.
“The new species is currently known only to be in the Dampa tiger reserve. It is probably range-restricted and likely meets the IUCN’s criteria for being assessed as critically endangered,” the journal stated.
The new species has been named after S Bhupathy, a noted herpetologist who served as principal scientist at the Coimbatore-based Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History.